Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche circles behind the Florida Panthers net with the puck during second period action at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

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Sven Andrighetto #10 of the Colorado Avalanche and Mark Pysyk #13 of the Florida Panthers battle along the boards during first period action at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

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Jonathan Huberdeau #11 of the Florida Panthers looks on as goaltender Semyon Varlamov #1 of the Colorado Avalanche stops a shot at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

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Nick Bjugstad #27 of the Florida Panthers and Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche battle for position in front of the net during second period action at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

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Alexander Kerfoot #13 and Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche battle for control of the puck with Alex Petrovic #6 of the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

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Teammates congratulate Nathan MacKinnon (29) of the Colorado Avalanche after he scored a second period goal against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Fla.

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Goaltender James Reimer #34 of the Florida Panthers looks back as Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche cries the puck around the net during second period action at the BB&T Center on Dec. 9, 2017 in Sunrise, Florida.

SUNRISE, Fla. — For an Avalanche team that had lost its last four games and hadn’t scored more that two goals in regulation in its previous seven, winning 7-3 at the Florida Panthers on Saturday night was sweet relief.

Colorado’s last two goals were scored on an empty-net, but the first five were of the satisfying workmanlike variety — and two came within 47 seconds of the pivotal second period.

Except for a six-minute stretch from late in the first period to early in the second — a time when Colorado defensemen struggled to keep the puck in front of them — the Avs put together a solid road game. MacKinnon and Kerfoot scored within a minute to turn Florida’s 2-1 lead into a 3-2 Panthers deficit.

MacKinnon split the Panthers’ two defensemen and scored with a flick of the wrist from the doorstep at 11:26 of the second period, and Kerfoot redirected Tyson Barrie‘s shot from the point at 12:07. Barrie’s wrist shot came off a give-and-go with Rantanen.

“We definitely deserve this one. It’s been tough lately. We just had a really solid game tonight,” said MacKinnon, who now has a team-leading 11 goals. “We got a couple empty-netters at the end but we scored five legit ones, which is good for us. Every line chipped in tonight and we need four lines to contribute if we’re going to make a push here. And this was a step in the right direction.”

Florida took its lead with goals from defenseman Aaron Ekblad and winger Denis Malgin. Ekblad scored with a one-time blast in the final seconds of the first period and Malgin struck on a breakaway early in the second. Late the first period, the Avs had produced 14 of the game’s 18 shots and taken the early lead on Rantanen’s goal 10:56 into the game. Rantanen turned and fired on a loose puck at the side of the crease, his ninth goal of the season.

Barrie was whistled for a high-sticking double-minor but the Avs killed that off at the end of the second period.

“Even when we fell behind we continued to push. We did some good things,” Bednar said. “We got a rebound goal from Rantanen. We got a screened shot from Barrie (on Kerfoot’s goal). We killed that four-minute power play at the end of the second period. That gave us confidence. We gave up some odd-man rushes but Varly was solid in goal.”

Johnson left the ice late in the third period after blocking a shot. Bednar didn’t have an update on his injury.

The Avs, who will take Sunday off, were scheduled to depart for Pittsburgh after the game. They will play the Penguins, two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, Monday and visit the Washington Capitals on Tuesday to complete the four-game trip that began with Thursday’s 5-2 loss at Tampa Bay.

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EDMONTON, Alberta — In two games since returning from an eight-game injury absence, Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon has four points, including a goal, and multiple shots off the post or crossbar. The 22-year-old has undoubtedly re-proven that he is the Avs’ most valuable player — the player they must have in the lineup to make a legitimate playoff push.